Coming to a Store Near You!

The competition from e-commerce and demand from consumers for speed and convenience is vastly raising consumer expectations for the in-store shopping experience.

Retailers will adopt three critical technology solutions to attract customers back to the store. 1) wayfinding, 2) mobile/ kiosk payments, and 3) Internet of Things (IoT) logistics platforms. This is according to CBRE’s latest dive into the retail tech experience.

As more retailers use these technologies to drive sales, digital connectivity plays a role in delivering network speed, and security expected.

“Convenience is repeatedly cited as the number one reason consumers shop online. Long lines and inadequate parking are the top reasons why consumers avoid the store. From mobile payment platforms to digital mall maps to parking sensors, tech investments should make shopping easier and more enjoyable for the consumer,” says Melina Cordero Managing Director of Retail Capital Markets at CBRE.

Enhancing In-Store Experience Via Wayfinding

As shoppers look to save time, occupant wayfinding solutions will play a significant role. In areas like enabling indoor customer experience in malls and retail locations.
In-store shoppers download wayfinding apps on their smartphones. They can use built-in cellular 3G/4G service to get updated maps, transfer analytic data, install updates to the software.

For this reason, providing a robust cellular network inside retail locations is more important than ever. Many wayfinding solutions in the market today rely heavily on remote servers to provide directions. This means they require fast and always-on connectivity. If that connection goes down, wayfinding will stop working- impacting customer experience.

Both Wi-Fi and LTE cellular connectivity can serve as networking solutions. However, LTE cellular connectivity is often a better option. A cellular connection is more reliable than Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, which requires a transmitter every couple of hundred feet.

Digital Kiosks Reduce Retail Labor Costs

Retailers will also adopt digital kiosks to reduce rising labor costs in the next five years, according to CBRE.

“Restaurants, especially in the fast-food and fast-casual segments, have already started to leverage automation in the form of digital kiosks and order-ahead apps to save on labor costs. Many fast-food restaurants now offer pre-ordering services designed to help them on the go consumer save time and energy,” Cordero stated.
The network security requirements to manage order placement and process financial transactions are significantly higher than basic internet use. Cellular connectivity possesses several security advantages over Wi-Fi when it comes to protecting customers’ payment information.

While Wi-Fi data can get encrypted, encryption has to get turned on. However, cellular data, on the other hand, is already encrypted by default.

Cellular network security updates of network consist of operators who have a cybersecurity staff. As well as strong financial and reputational incentives. This ensure that security is being maintained. Wi-Fi security updates get taken care of by individuals network owners who can delay or miss security updates more easily. Wi-Fi networks are also more easily hackable, which can enable cybercriminals to gain access to customer’s smartphone devices and personal financial data.

IoT Devices & Asset Tracking Enable Expedited Delivery

The last area of innovation in e-commerce is behind the scenes in operational and logistics platforms.

The rise of e-commerce and omnichannel has changed the way retailers deliver goods. It’s no longer just about delivering goods to a set number of stores on a regular schedule. Today it’s about providing millions of products to doorsteps in less than a day. To meet this demand, retailers must have a firm grasp of their inventory and supply-chain management.

Retailers who want to offer the next generation of in-store shopping to customers should learn about these offerings. It is critical to assure that they are deploying the right digital connectivity to meet consumers’ demands.